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Featured Bars and Clubs

The Forum, one of the few lounges in Union Square territory, brings peace during the weekdays and boisterous partying on the weekends. Saturdays, for example, require plus-sized bouncers to monitor the swarms of cocktail-craving, dancing citizens.

If the hockey jerseys lining the walls at Company Bar don't draw you in, the great food and unpretentious atmosphere surely will. Stop by any night of the week for a refreshing round of hot wings and cold drinks.

What is it about bars with red walls? Belly (no, not that '90s band) boasts crimson-hued interiors in spades, a relaxed, intimate setting, and cute mixed drinks like "Cuban Iced Tea" --a tasty cross between a mojito and an iced tea--and the inevitable martini bastardizations, like the "Sake-tini." Read more about Belly >>

http://www.bembe.us A refreshing break from the trendy Williamsburg hipster scene, this cozy brick-walled lounge is a relaxing place to enjoy sweet island-flavored drinks early in the evening. As the night goes on, Bembe heats up with DJs spinning multicultural beats, often accompanied by hand percussionists, while a diverse and chic crowd dances with abandon. Read more about Bembe >>

http://www.thecarlyle.com Creator of those Madeline books for children, Ludwig Bemelmans painted his only surviving public commission on the walls of this famous Art Deco lounge, a staple of the let-them-eat-cake set for more than fifty years. The beloved Audrey Saunders is the mixologist in residence here, concocting everything from a Gin-Gin Mule (gin, homemade ginger beer, fresh mint and lime juice) to the Valencia (Fino sherry, orange oil and gin garnished with a flaming orange peel). Read more about Bemelmans Bar >>

http://www.harrysburritos.com Benny's was one of the first California-style burrito joints to open in New York, opening way back in 1988. They specialize in the giant, gut-busting burritos popular in San Francisco as opposed to the smaller, more portable burritos of Southern California. Most of them come stuffed with black beans, Spanish rice, Monterrey Jack cheese and your choice of filling. Chicken and vegetarian options are plentiful: shredded barbecue chicken, grilled chicken with mango salsa, sautéed spinach and vegetarian chili are just a few of the 19 different options. Beef and fish burritos, tacos, nachos, quesadillas and more are also on the menu. It's not a huge restaurant, which would explain its brisk business in take-out, but it's certainly a fun one. Bright colors, funky lamps and booming music keep things constantly upbeat. It really gets jumping during happy hour, when beers are $1 off and margaritas are half-price. Read more about Benny's Burritos to Go >>

http://www.berryparkbk.com The much-accoladed Berry Park attracts more than its fair share of Manhattanites too reluctant to travel further into Brooklyn. But the rooftop — its most celebrated aspect, now fitted with a glass ceiling in case of rain — lends the same fantastic views of Manhattan and McCarren, and the same great 15 taps of German, Belgian, and English imports. Fun is easy to come by, with regular brunch every day, DJ brunch on Sundays, Simpsons trivia, and screenings of sports (especially soccer) on a huge projector screen against a cement wall. The picnic tables on the ground floor are made of repurposed roof beams, but are almost abandoned on the subdued weeknights, when locals rush to the rooftop to absorb a view they’d have to share with a few too many others on the weekends. Read more about Berry Park >>